Staff

To reach any of the following departments call 202-640-1985 and:Press 1 for membershipPress 2 for conferences and webinarsPress 3 for accountingPress 4 for policy and advocacyPress 5 for data and researchPress 6 for website technical supportPress 7 for the Institute for Accountable CarePress 8 for all others

CLIF GAUS, President and CEOClif Gaus, Sc.D. is currently president and CEO of the National Association of ACOs which he helped found in 2012. NAACOS is the only national organization owned and managed by ACOs. It advocates for ACOs on policy and offers shared learning experiences through conferences, webinars, forums and work groups. Dr. Gaus has a diverse background as a public servant, entrepreneur and health executive. He served in senior health positions under Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Clinton. In the 1970's and 80's, as associate administrator of HCFA (now CMS), he directed the development of a broad range of innovations in health care financing and delivery, including the DRG hospital payment system, RBRVS physician payment system, Medicare Hospice Programs and Medicare payment of Physician Assistants. From 1994 to 1997 he was the Administrator of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (now AHRQ).

In the late 90's Dr. Gaus held the position of executive vice president and chief administrative officer of WellPoint Health Networks Inc. Prior to WellPoint, he was senior vice president of the national Kaiser Permanente Health System in Oakland, California. From 2002-10 he served on the Board of Directors of the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford University. In recent years he has consulted for a number of prominent organizations, including a six month engagement with the Administrator of CMS working on the ACO regulations and the start-up of Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). He holds a master's degree in health administration from the University of Michigan and a Doctorate of Science in health care management from The Johns Hopkins University.

JENNIFER MULDOON, Senior Vice-President of OperationsJennifer Muldoon has more than 25 years of experience leading core association activities such as membership and education. At NAACOS, she leads the operations team with responsibility for membership, educational events, communications, finance and operations. As the former director of conferences and educational programs at AcademyHealth, Jennifer led this society's key events for research dissemination and training. At Holy Cross Hospital, Jennifer implemented a patient information system for physicians and coordinated HIPAA compliance. Jennifer also has extensive experience managing core activities and strategic initiatives for health associations. At the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Jennifer launched the Network for Supervising Physicians, a resource for physicians to maximize the role of physician assistants on health care teams. During her seven-year tenure at the Association for Health Services Research, Jennifer’s role included membership, advocacy, and publications. Jennifer graduated with superior distinction from Georgetown University receiving a master's degree in health systems administration. As an undergraduate, she studied Philosophy and Biology at Cornell University.

DEBORAH BRAFFORD, Director of Financial ManagementDeborah is the director of financial management for the National Association of ACOs and reports directly to the CEO bringing over 20 years of financial management experience in both the profit and non-profit sectors. She is responsible for managing all financial operations of the organization, which includes budgeting, pricing analysis, and management of human resources functions and accounts receivable. Deborah comes to NAACOS from the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) where she was senior director of business operations, communications and education for APhA’s government contract with Health Resources and Services Administration’s Office of Pharmacy Affairs management of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, responsible for financial and data management, contract compliance and reporting, oversight of subcontracts and subcontractors, communications and education. Prior to APhA she worked for the APhA Foundation and the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington, serving as director of finance in both organizations. She also brings operational, marketing and financial management experiences from two DC law firms, MCI and Citicorp. Deborah received her bachelor of arts degree in marketing and business management at DePaul University School for New Learning in Chicago.

ALLISON BRENNAN, Senior Vice President of Government AffairsAllison Brennan, MPP, is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for the National Association of ACOs in Washington, D.C. where she helps develop and advocate for policies to benefit ACOs. Prior to NAACOS, Allison was a senior advocacy advisor at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) where she helped lead MGMA's advocacy efforts, focusing on federal regulatory and legislative issues and coordinating MGMA advocacy activities. Before joining MGMA, Allison worked as a program manager at the Brookings Institution where she designed and managed educational seminars focused on the policy process and federal leadership development. Allison began her career interning in the United States Senate and then worked at the National Patient Advocate Foundation, where she lobbied state governments on behalf of patients and managed grassroots. Allison has a bachelor's degree in government and economics from the College of William and Mary and holds a master's degree in public policy from Georgetown University, with a focus on health policy.

JENNIFER GASPERINI, Senior Policy AdvisorJennifer Gasperini is senior policy advisor for the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) where she works on federal regulatory issues facing ACOs. Ms. Gasperini brings 10 years of health policy experience on both the state and national levels. She came to NAACOS from the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) where she served as the director of health policy, working on a variety of state and federal health policy issues concerning physicians. Before joining the NCMS, she worked at the National Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) where she focused on federal legislative and regulatory issues pertaining to physician quality and payment including ACO issues, and value-based payment programs such as PQRS and the Value Based Payment Modifier. Ms. Gasperini holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, minor in political science from the Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in legislative affairs from the George Washington University.

BRIAN HAMMER, Vice President, Membership and Business Services

Brian Hammer, MS, MBA, FACHE is the vice president of membership and business services for the National Association of ACOs. As part of the executive team, Brian leads all activities developing relationships with new and existing ACOs contracting with CMS and commercial payers. Brian also oversees the procurement of strategic business partnerships benefiting ACOs. Before NAACOS, Brian’s considerable experience in both the hospital arena and in the out-patient ambulatory setting proved beneficial to Meridian Health System as his work strategized primary care physician alignment through practice acquisition and recruitment initiatives. Most notably, he delivered a successful ACO recruitment campaign yielding over 10,000 beneficiary lives. Prior to his hospital role, Brian was successful in the pharmaceutical space winning multiple national awards for companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Brian graduated top of his program for his Master of Science in Health Administration degree at St. Joseph's University. He also holds his MBA from Syracuse University, and his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Drexel University. He is a visiting adjunct professor at Monmouth University, is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and volunteers as a mentor to healthcare MBA students.

ELIZABETH HOLDER, Director of Information TechnologyElizabeth Holder has been with NAACOS nearly since its inception. She manages the development of web software, coordinates website development, and oversees technical support for members and staff. She works closely with other teams on projects requiring research and data support. Elizabeth has 20 years of experience working in information technology and marketing. She is an active volunteer in her community, working with local organizations to feed needy families and individuals. Elizabeth received her Bachelors of Arts from California State University, Northridge.

ANNA LAFAYETTE, Director of Operations

At NAACOS, Anna LaFayette coordinates membership enrollment and renewals, content and registration for conferences and webinars, as well as the activities of the Board of Directors and many other things that keep the organization running day to day. Previously, Anna was a senior associate at AcademyHealth where she developed the content for its Annual Research Meeting by managing more than 500 speakers, a call for abstracts with 2,500 submissions, registration of 2,400 individuals, and several of adjunct meetings. Anna also has training and experience as a behavioral specialist in elementary schools. Anna received a master's degree in forensic psychology from Marymount University and a bachelor's degree in psychology from St. Mary's College of Notre Dame.

TERESA LITTON, Senior Policy AdvisorTeresa comes to NAACOS from the Washington Health Alliance (a purchaser led, multi-payer data base) where she led state-wide efforts around Choosing Wisely, disparities in care, and quality improvement. Prior to the Alliance, Ms. Litton worked as the ACO development manager at the Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement where she worked on projects around the formation of a commercial ACO integrated delivery system and supporting strategies, including: health information exchange solutions, primary care medical homes, behavioral health/primary care integration, and care coordination. Ms. Litton’s background includes 10 years at an international organization where she led humanitarian teams to refugee camps, orphanages, and impoverished communities in developing countries. Ms. Litton also worked at the World Health Organization (WHO)/Pan American Health Organization’s US/Mexico Field Office supporting the efforts of a Center of Excellence in chronic disease. Ms. Litton graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science in community health from Western Washington University and has a master of public health in health services from the University of Washington.

ROBERT MECHANIC, Executive Director of the Institute for Accountable CareRobert E. Mechanic, MBA,is executive director of the Institute for Accountable Care, where he is responsible for leading its research agenda, data analytics, and health care learning and improvement activities. The Institute for Accountable Care is an independent 501(c)3 organization with a mission to build and disseminate evidence on the impact of accountable care delivery strategies on both quality and cost. Rob is also a senior fellow at the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, where he serves as executive director of the Health Industry Forum. His research focuses on health care payment systems and the adaptation of organizations to new payment models. He has helped hospitals, physician groups and integrated delivery systems evaluate financial, strategic and policy considerations under risk-based payment models. Rob was previously senior vice president with the Massachusetts Hospital Association and was vice president with the Lewin Group, a Washington D.C.-based health care consulting firm. His work has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Health Affairs. He is a trustee of Atrius Health, an 800-physician multispecialty group practice and Next Generation ACO in Eastern Massachusetts, and he is a senior fellow of the Estes Park Institute. Mr. Mechanic earned an MBA in finance from The Wharton School and a BS in economics with distinction from the University of Wisconsin.

EMILY PERRON, Administrative AssistantEmily Perron is the administrative assistant at NAACOS where she works directly with the director of operations on tasks related to the day-to-day running of the organization and the two annual conferences. Before starting at NAACOS, she previously worked at Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association (PFIA) in new business where she handled all incoming new life and disability insurance plans. While at PFIA, she obtained two Life Office Management Association (LOMA) certificates. She received her bachelors of science in elementary education from Liberty University.

DAVID PITTMAN joined the National Association of ACOs in August 2018 as health policy and communications advisor, bringing a dozen years of experience in health journalism to the organization. Prior to NAACOS, David covered health care at POLITICO, including the worlds of ACOs and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. He helped launch the website's eHealth coverage in 2014. He was a fellow of the Association of Health Care Journalists in 2014, researching how states were adopting payment and delivery system reforms as budgets struggled to recover from the recession of the late 2000s. Before POLITICO, David served as the lone Washington reporter for the health news website MedPage Today, covering nearly all aspects of health policy from Medicare and Medicaid to the Affordable Care Act and Capitol Hill. David holds bachelor's degrees in journalism and chemistry from the University of Georgia, where he graduated in 2006. While in Athens, David worked as a staff writer of The Red & Black and eventually became editor-in-chief.